ABSTRACT
On 3 August 2013, the controversial and crisis-ridden eight-year tenure of President Ahmadinejad came to an end - leaving a sad legacy behind. This chapter examines this legacy to its major causes. With the exception of Ahmadinejad himself and his small circle of friends and admirers, there is no analyst inside or outside of Iran who does not believe that the Iranian economy was grossly mismanaged, if not permanently damaged, during his administration. In the foreign arena, just as Western frustration with the slow pace of negotiations on Iran's nuclear program was building, and the Islamic Republic needed an experienced and astute leader to handle the situation, the opposite occurred. Ahmadinejad's administration came to an end without even a whisper. There were no celebratory parties, no appreciative demonstrations, and no praise of his tenure. Members of the new government have taken turns to point out his misdeeds.
